After New Vegas
by Aiex72
Summary: New Vegas and the Mojave was saved once again by its silent watcher, Mr. House. But one victory doesn't a winner make. There were more battles to come, and old sins to overcome. The Courier had walked the lonesome road, but not her final road.
1. Chapter 1: Intro to New Vegas

The blare of the siren was deafening. Jess looked around but couldn't see anything through the thick smoke. She stared into the thickest section, and saw a red glow was getting closer. Fear pounded through her heart and she tried to run but couldn't get up off the ground. Suddenly a figure broke through the smoke in front of her and looked at her. She looked up and strained to see them. It was a green paladin staring blankly through its helmet at her. She raised a hand up to it for help, but when the soldier raised its hand it was holding a pistol. Jess had just enough time to register she had looked down the barrel of this gun once before when she heard a loud crack.

Jess lay on the floor in a daze. It took her a minute before she decided her head hurt too much for her to be dead. She slowly sat up and let the clouds fade from her vision. She looked around the room, there was no smoke, no fire, and no paladin. Jess realized this was her room in the Lucky 38. She glanced at her covers on the floor and rubbed the bump already growing on her head. "Just another dream..." she up on the bed she just closed her eyes when she heard the door slam open and a wheel roll in.

"Why howdy partner, oh that's funny I thought you were up and moving, I heard a banging in your room." an over energetic cowboy voice rang out.

"Morning Victor" moaned Jess, slowly sitting up.

"I just came to tell you the boss man wants to see right away ma'am."

Jess crawled out of bed. and mumbled "Tell him I'll be right up there." Victors face disappeared into static and the face of Mr. House faded in.

"It would be in our best interests if you hurry, this is a matter of utmost importance." House's face was then replaced by Victor's once again.

"Well, see you soon pardner." Victor rolled back out of the room leaving Jess to her thoughts.


	2. Chapter 2: Inside the House

The Courier walked over to the open door, slammed it shut, and locked it. If Mr. House wanted to talk to her and it was so urgent then he could have talked to her here. She pulled a key out of her pocket and went to her locked armor case on the floor. She unlocked it and looked inside. Her face stared back at her, reflected in a green suit of power armor.

She thought to herself "I wore this that night. They didn't-" she stopped herself in the middle of her sentence "No, I can't think about that now, work to do." She wiped her eyes even though they were still dry

An hour later Jess sat in an elevator on her way to the penthouse. She was still upset at House and had let him stew for the hour while she talked with her friends in the Suite, but he had appeared himself to call her -albeit briefly- so it must be somewhat important. The doors slid open and she quickly walked past Jane and into the next room. She stood in front of the screen in her duster she acquired in the Divide and her boomer hat as she waited for Mr. House's screen to come online.

"Did I not personally advise you to come up here immediately?" House's electronic voice was filled with irritation.

"I was busy and if it was so important then why didn't you tell me in my room?"

"While a ladies room is suitable for many things on the strip, matters of business are not one of them. Moreover discussions of the utmost secrecy should not be discussed where there could be prying ears."

"Those prying ears are my friends. People who helped you take Hoover Dam in the first place."

"I know perfectly well who they are and what they have done. That does not change the importance in as few people as possible knowing what is going on. A new threat has risen on the edges of the Mojave."

"Well who or what is this mysterious threat?" The Courier's tone was slightly less irritated and a bit more intrigued.

"You've already met them, the people of the divide. The original people of the divide, from before the war, or their descendants at least. Seismic activity detected by Victor near the town of Goodsprings all but confirms it. The tunnelers have arrived."


	3. Chapter 3: The House is Always Right

Jess sat in stunned silence for a moment. She had seen the tunnelers before in the Divide. They were mostly an unseen threat that lurked below the surface. However nothing that stumbled into their domain lived to tell about out. She had personally watched a deathclaw be taken out by a small number of them. They would tear up the barely defended town of Goodsprings overnight.

"Mr. House, I don't care what you think of it I am going to go to Goodsprings and help them. That town saved my life and I owe them."

"You ceased to owe a debt to them the moment you saved the town from those Powder Gangers. Nevertheless I have no intentions to let these abominations terrorize my territory. However I won't be allowing you to gallivanting across the waste leaving a smoking trail the whole way. I have reports of caravans going missing throughout the wastes, but when my securitrons and scouts check the area, there nothing, no signs, no tracks, no anything. There is no pattern to the attacks. Moreover there is continues reports of suspicious behavior throughout the strip There is no way of determining what this unseen threat would do if it was aware of our other enemies."

Jess thought on this for a moment, "So what do you propose we do about this?"

"I propose nothing. I _am_ sending you to Freeside with Veronica immediately following our conversation."

"Why are you sending me to Freeside the tunnelers are in Goodsprings, and wouldn't it make more sense to send Arcade, he knows the place more than any of us, or what about Boone? Boone skills in observation could greatly help in finding any signs of these intruders in the Mojave."

" Veronica's experience in close quarter combat and her regular usage of power armor puts her leagues ahead of the others. Ghouls and super mutants would attract too much unwanted attention. Cass's alcoholism makes her a security risk with this assignment. Boone's observational skills and tactical skill at a distance would prove useful, but I suspect you are going to spend much of your time in narrow spaces with no need for observation, and very little space for distance. I also highly doubt Boone would refrain from telling our friend Cass about what he was doing. Those two have been growing rather close it seems. This leaves Arcade. Arcade's skill in power armor and energy weapons puts him just behind Veronica in this, and his medicinal skills brings them even closer. However Arcades allegiances is where he falls through. True he may have fought valiantly at Hoover Dam, but he also fought in a suit of Enclave Power Armor. We have no way of telling who this new threat is, but the Enclave is far from destroyed in the wastes. He is already resentful at how the battle ended and there is little doubt in my mind he would like to see me thrown out. He only stays because of his loyalty to you, you know. Veronica left the now deceased brotherhood. Her only allegiance left is hers to you"

Jess waited for him to continue. If she intervened he would take longer to get to the point lecturing or chastising her short sightedness or some other complaint he had. Also, being reminded of the fate of the brotherhood so soon after her dream this morning shook her up. Fortunately Mr. House seemed to not notice it, or at least choose to ignore how his words troubled her.

"I am sure that by now this has sunk in and you have realized that my choosing Veronica was in fact the correct choice.

He was right, as usual. But Jess couldn't help but be annoyed by his arrogant nature was infuriating sometimes. Is this what happens after being left alone to your own plans for two hundred years? No, she suspected he had always been this way. Even so though, he was right. Could she last having to see her everyday? No matter how short this trip to Freeside would be, it would be long.

"Now, as to your actions in Freeside, you will be announcing my plans of tearing down a wall. Its time to properly rule all of New Vegas, not just the Strip. You will have to talk to the King and get his blessing, but given your reputation with Freeside, this shouldn't be too much of a problem. You'll be delivering a mandatory contract to the Atomic Wrangler and Mick and Ralph's. You will be ending the night at the Followers of the Apocalypse."

Mr. House's mannerisms at times drove the Courier crazy. She was ready for House to get where he was going with this. He had a way of either overly simplify things to a basic order and leaving everything else to her, or to in detail slowly describe his entire vision of how things shall go. There was no medium to him. She fumed enough is enough, I don't care what he says this has gone on long enough.

"How does uniting Freeside do anything to help Goodsprings?"

Irritation entered Mr House's voice but he continued where he was.

"Freeside will be your first stop, you will be taking nearly a reverse path of your original trip to the Strip, just don't end it with a bullet to the head. I need you to stop at the towns of Novac, Nipton, and Prim. I will have additional stops along the way for you. As to why I am sending you on this long trek across the wastes instead of just to Goodsprings, the answer is secrecy. If someone is closely watching us then they would notice your absence. And by making this an official public demonstration, I can send with you an escort of Securitrons and not raise any question. Invisibility in plain site. As an additional feature, we will also be spreading more direct influence throughout the cities you travel. Nothing as pressing as what the NCR would do, but only mild little reforms. Do you have any other questions? I suggest you make them quick if so."

Jess was eager to get this over with. The sooner she got started the sooner she could help her friends. "No, that will be all Mr. House." She turned to leave.

"Erm Jess?" did he just erm? She had never heard him say anything of the sort. "Take care of yourself out there. Take it easy on your trip to Goodsprings. Sleep well for once."

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Hey thanks for reading this story, this is just the beginning intro parts. Ill try to make sure the next chapter is a lot less dialogue. Any comments, suggestions, or ideas just post a review.


	4. Chapter 4: A Shot in the Light

Veronica slipped on her assassin suit. It had been a gift from the Courier. She had told Veronica that if it belonged to anyone it should belong to her. She came back with it after her journey to the Sierra Madre. Jess wouldn't tell her why it should be hers, she just said "One day, not today though."

She walked out into the hallway where Jess was already waiting. "Ready?" she asked her. Jess didnt answer right away, in a daze. Then she shook her head a little to the side and said "Yeah I'm ready. Got your stuff?" Veronica tapped the duffle bag on her back, "Right here." she said. "Then lets go."

"Now you have a nice trip ladies." Victors final farewell as they walked out of the Lucky 38. "Thank you Victor, see you in Goodsprings." Veronica noticed that as they were talking to Victor that Jess's warm smile was back, whatever had been bothering her must be off her mind. "See you around Victor." Veronica said, bidding the old robot goodbye.

* * *

It wasn't that she hadn't been expecting trouble, she had learned traveling with Courier to expect that, but she had no idea it would start so soon. She thought they would find it at Mick and Ralph's, with all the firearms they had, or maybe at the Atomic Wrangler. There always seemed to be something about the Garrets that she didn't trust. Jess and she had been on the stands in front of the Strip gate. A huge crowd of Freesiders had gathered around to listen to Jess's speech. What a speech it was. The crowd's excitement was growing and they could tell she was drawing to an end.

"The wealth, security, and success of New Vegas is contained inside this wall, inside the Strip. But no more. The people of Freeside will finally be truly free, free of the thugs who roam the streets, free of the poverty and starvation, free to begin again. Mr. House, tear down this wall!"

The crowd erupted into an enormous applause but a slight slamming sound faintly rose over it. Veronica knew that sound well from her days in the bunker. It was constantly echoing down the corridors. "Gauss Rifle!" she shouted it but she realized over the roar of the crowd she might as well be whispering. Who could have a Gauss rifle she thought. Brotherhood is gone, neither the Legion nor the NCR had that kind of tech, so who else? Enclave? They're suppose to be dead. She turned to face Jess thinking that she surely recognized the sound and might have had a better idea on who it was. What she saw though, made her gasp.

"Jess!" she yelled as she saw her friend tumble off the back of the stand, the crater in the center of her Elite Riot Gear still smoldering. She hit her head when she landed, and laid still.


	5. Chapter 5: Humpty Dumty

Three things happened at that moment: Veronica leaped off the stand, wincing as she landed on the hard ground, and rushed to Jess's side; the crowd frenzied and ran like scared brahmin; a man in a suit dropped a rifle and ran. He didn't get far. King members by the gate raised their submachine guns. They never had the chance to fire though. Before they had a chance, the man disappeared in a hail of shrapnel, smoke, and dust. The securitrons had started to clean up the streets, albeit in a messy way. Veronica did not see any of this, though; she was much more concerned about the target than the assassin. As soon as she was beside her, Veronica hastily undid the straps holding the armor to Jess. She removed the main pieces and then held up Jess's hand to check for a pulse. It was faint, but it was there. She pulled the rest of the the riot armor off to check Jess's injuries. Underneath it she had on her duster, but the shot had punched right through its soft center piece. Parts of the duster and the riot armor had melted to her skin. "At least the armor seems to have stopped the round from actually getting to her," Veronica thought. Jess's head was already swollen and was the more pressing of the two injuries. "Good thing your heads been through worse before, right?" Veronica chuckled a little trying to forget her growing worry. "We need to get you to the Followers right now though, they will know what to do." Veronica wrapped her hands around her friend and slowly picked her up, cradling the lady in her arms. She was light and it was easy for Veronica to imagine that she was just sleeping. They made it halfway to the Old Mormon Fort without any troubles. But in between them and the gate was a group of securitrons and King members in a stand off. The guy leading the group said "This is King territory, Mr. House don't belong here." The securitrons mechanical voice responded "Stand down. All acts of aggression will be responded to with overwhelming force." Veronica could tell this was about to explode. She walked up to the head securitron. She didn't want to leave Jess, but she was needed here. She needed to do the right thing, like Jess would do. "Securitron override, Veronica Renata Santangelo. Access profile: Victor. Activation code: PDQ-88b." The soldier's face on the screen faded out into static. "Well, fancy meeting you here, friends." Victor said coming online. "I didn't think I would run into you two 'til Goodsprings. What happened to Jess?" he asked, just noticing her in Veronica's arms. "She didn't get shot in the head again, did she?" Veronica's eyes softened at the robots little bit of humor, "No, not this time. Victor listen, I need you to take Jess to the Followers. Take some of your brothers with you and have them stand guard around and inside the fort, alright?" Victor held out his arms to take her. "Sure thing partner, and don't you worry your pretty little head about her. I've seen her in worse shape, you know." He took her into his robot arms for a second time and set off towards the fort with half the robots following him. "Be safe" Veronica said as she turned off the safety on her ballistic fist and turned around to face the king members glaring at her. 


	6. Chapter 6: All of the King's Horses

Hey everybody, sorry I know I haven't updated in ages it seems. Summer course work suddenly became do and school starting kind of went hand in hand with that. Anyways here is the very first chunk of the next chapter that I got down before life said no free time for you. Enjoy, rate and review as always.

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"Hey Pacer, still got that stunning smile I see." Pacer ignored her statement and continued to glare at her. "Well lookey here boys, a stray cat without her mama. Now be a good kitty and do as we say, ya hear?" Pacer's face added a smug grin to its glare as he watched Veronica's temper flare. "I'm going to make this short boys, get lost now or you're going to feel this cat's claws. And don't think I wont, I love punching things," she said, raising her fist.

The two of them stood staring each other in the eyes for a minute, Veronica's fist at the ready and Pacer's fist closed on his pistol. He let his hand fall away from it. "You're in luck, me and the boys have business to see to at the water pumps. Maybe another time pretty? Come on boys lets go." Veronica sighed loudly in relief. She didn't know if she truly could have taken all of them before they got her, even with the help of the remaining securitrons. Besides, there had been enough violence for the day. "Jess probably could have done it." she mused, "Oh God, Jess." Veronica turned and ran towards the fort.


End file.
